Individual crisis skills provide value. Combinations create exponential returns:
The Crisis Generalist
Combine multiple crisis skills at competent level rather than mastering one: - Basic medical + negotiation + organization - Problem solving + emotional regulation + networks - Technology translation + improvisation + trust building
Anna built her crisis consultancy on being competently good at six crisis skills rather than expert at one. This generalist approach provided more value during chaos than narrow expertise.
The Bridge Specialist
Deep expertise in one crisis skill plus competence in complementary abilities: - Expert network activation + good communication + basic problem solving - Master negotiator + cultural awareness + emotional regulation - Superior organizer + basic medical + resource improvisation
This approach leverages strengths while avoiding critical weaknesses.
The Domain Translator
Crisis skills from one domain applied to another: - Military logistics applied to business supply chains - Emergency medicine approaches to business crisis management - Disaster response frameworks for organizational change
Cross-domain application often reveals innovative solutions.